A triumph of Carlisle's spirit
by nonconformist9041318
Summary: An encounter between Carlisle and a figure from his distant past.  Dramatic confrontation follows.


**_Disclaimer: _**_Twilight belongs to Stephanie Mayer._

_Bella's point of view._

_I am kind of new at this so PLEASE tell me what you think, particularly areas for improvement._

It didn't take any of us by surprise. Carlisle was now claiming an age of thirty-six and still didn't look a day older than twenty-eight, at the most. So when Edward told us that people were starting to think things, imagining their own reasons and drawing their own mental conclusions for whatever it was that made us different. It certainly did not help that I had mysteriously disappeared from society almost straight after mine and Edward's wedding. So we weren't surprised that people were beginning to wonder, but it was a shame nonetheless. We would have liked to stay.

The biggest reason was the climate. Forks had to be the best place for those of our kind who wanted to blend in. We might still have eyes whose colour shifted from gold to black. We would still have ice-pale skin which was cold to match. But in a place with no sun, the reason I had once hated it, was now perfect for us, the vampires of human society. We could go out on most days without glittering like diamonds were embedded in our skin, something that humans just don't do. We could be almost _normal._

The truth was, this was all new to me. I had never been through this particular experience as a Cullen yet – moving on. Rose told me it would become wearying after a few decades, but for me it was still a novelty. She did not say it with the bitterness that had permeated her earlier undead years. She finally was able to exercise her mothering instincts on Renesmee, and was content.

This time was different for everyone. We had a couple of really interesting additions to the Cullen clan as well as me. I mean, I was just an ordinary (!) vampire like the rest. But now we had Renesmee, my daughter, a half-vampire child. Teenager actually, although she was barely five years old. And we had Jacob Black, a werewolf. This was the oddest addition, as we and the werewolves are mortal enemies. But Jacob had imprinted on my daughter, and couldn't be without her, so he was counted in the mix. The coven werewolf.

That was the other reason we were reluctant to leave. Both I and Jacob had connexions to the town. My dad lived there. So did his – and his tribe, the Quileutes. To the others, it was just another place. But Jacob went very quiet when we discussed the move, because although he knew he couldn't leave Renesmee, it was difficult. My eyes still burned with the tears I could not cry when I thought of leaving my father. But I was lucky. I had Edward. I had everything.

The final arrangements had already been made. It was really happening. We all resigned our jobs and commitments and left. It was, for me, the stepping off into the unknown. We were moving on.

After we left, we abandoned all human pretence. We moved slowly, fluidly, silently, through the patches of light in the forest. Behind us, Jacob and Renesmee straggled. She could not move as fast, and he was carrying her. He was moving just as fast as us, but the movement was obvious in his body, though not in ours. Strange that I could tell the difference between the two so similar styles of moving. Strange also, despite the fact that imprinting was to pass on the werewolf gene, Jacob did not think of my daughter that way, not as a future lover. He just wanted her to be happy. Now, he was like the best big brother in the world for her, and that included piggy-back rides at over a hundred miles an hour!

As we drew near to a glade, my survival instincts suddenly tensed me up. A figure approached from the other side of the clearing, at no less speed than us. Another vampire. He might be confrontational. Our name was little respected in the vampire world, because we refused human blood. Others would jump at the chance to cause us harm. Finally we met, in the centre of the clearing.

The man stopped when his eyes passed over Carlisle's face. "You?"

I watched Carlisle. The infinite compassion, patience and good humour that usually marked his countenance slowly faded, to be replaced by something that looked so out of place on his wise, beautiful face that it took me a while to realise what it was.

It was hatred. It was not evil, somehow. It was the hatred of good for evil, of light for darkness, of bright day for blackest night. The sort of feelings a perfect being like Carlisle might have towards the most evil creature to walk the earth. When he spoke, it was in his usual soft tones.

"It is you. I often wondered if I would ever meet you. The one who destroyed my life in its prime."

The vampire remained silent.

"So this is what Alice meant, when she said that today would be an important day if we left when we did. I would meet the one who can take full credit for the ending of the human lives of almost all of this family. I would finally meet the one who changed... me."

Still the other did not respond. We moved to encircle him, just in case.

"I changed four humans, all at the brink of death. Emmett enjoys this life and he forgives me. Esme I changed for love, and she returned that love, so she, too, forgives me. Edward now has his soul mate in Bella and so forgives me, as well. Rosalie until recently would have exchanged her beauty and her soul mate and burned for a century to be human and a mother, but has finally had a child to care for, and is content.

"You changed me in the prime of life and in perfect condition. I would have had many years ahead of me to fill. Therefore... I am not so certain that I will forgive you."

Edward was following Carlisle's thoughts; and gave us the signal to close in on the man. We were now only five feet from him.

"Have you anything to say for yourself?"

The other spoke now, his voice contemptuous. "That you are strange indeed, sir. Most people would kill for such a life, the darkest and most coveted of all gifts, yet you scorn it, and _are not certain you will forgive me_. But no one can destroy me. Many have tried."

We moved in closer, Edward, Jasper and Emmett moving into fighting stance. I did not understand the man's boast. Now, at least, he could have no chance. Jasper was very experienced and Emmett impossibly strong even for a vampire. What did he mean?

We realised when we were two feet from him and could move no further. He was projecting some kind of force field, impossible to break.

Carlisle was still looking at his enemy. He spoke a single word. "Bella."

I understood. I immediately projected my own shield out ten feet, protecting all our side. From his force. I could feel the pressure on my shield, but I could not let it distract me. The hands of all three fighters were positioned to rip the vampire apart, the burn the pieces. I turned away. I did not want to watch his death. But then Carlisle stepped forward.

"I also often wondered whether I would be strong enough to resist the temptation of revenge for you, the destroyer of my human life. Now you lie before me, my revenge is my due and in my power." He stopped for a moment, and then continued, his voice softer that ever. "I pass the test. You are free to go. I... forgive... you."

The man looked incredulously back at us; we were gone again, fleeting on the wings of our supernatural speed. Carlisle had not conquered, but he had won.


End file.
